Mark Sham on Untaught Skills for Authentic Success

In a world promising an easier life, why do so many of us feel like it's harder than ever to find authentic success? In this powerful conversation, Francois welcomes back entrepreneur and dear friend Mark Sham for a brutally honest discussion about what it truly takes to thrive.

Mark shares his deeply personal journey of reinvention, explaining why he had to let go of his old identity to find real growth. He reveals the essential "core skills" our education system never taught us and explains why learning to "sit in the fire" of uncomfortable emotions is the only way forward.

This isn't just a conversation about personal development; it's a critical look at the South African business landscape. Mark explains why small businesses are the key to our country's future and how we can create happier, more resilient people to build a better society and a stronger bottom line. Tune in to discover Mark's playbook for reinvention and why embracing meaningful challenges is the secret to a fulfilling life.

Show Notes

In this episode, Mark Sham unpacks his playbook for reinvention, resilience, and finding success in a complex world.

Topics Covered:

• [02:08] - Letting Go of a Former Life: Mark discusses the five-year journey of reinventing himself after realising his old identity had become a "noose around his neck".
• [04:52] - The Guardian Angel of Small Business: Why Mark's new goal is to become the guardian angel for small businesses in South Africa.
• [05:55] - The Engine of the Economy: A look at the data showing that 60% of all employment in South Africa comes from small businesses.
• [09:22] - The Fear of Hiring: How the unintended consequences of our labour laws disincentivise small businesses from hiring new staff.
• [15:14] - The Modern Paradox: Mark explains why it's never been a better, or a more complex and difficult, time to be alive.
• [18:07] - Core Skills vs. Soft Skills: The conversation explores the crucial life skills we were never taught in school, like how to be happy or navigate hard times, which are often mislabeled as "soft skills" instead of "core skills".
• [25:16] - The Need for 'Hard': Why human beings ironically need difficult challenges in their lives to truly thrive and grow.
• [31:23] - Sitting in the Fire: Mark shares his personal strategy of sitting with uncomfortable emotions to truly process them, rather than glamorizing or avoiding them.
• [38:18] - The Texture of Life: How going through hard seasons adds a rich texture to life and helps you truly appreciate the good times when they return.
• [41:53] - The Workplace's Unique Opportunity: Why the workplace is the one space where we can make a massive investment in people that positively impacts both society and the company's bottom line.

Memorable Quotes:

• "Don't listen to what people say, watch what they do." 
• "You got taught math, English and science in school, but no one taught you how to be happy."